You're lucky there was no damage! Some things to keep in mind when flying.... your perspective and distance from the Mavic with other objects around isn't always what it seems. Don't rely on the camera OR sensors for locating obstacles, especially when you're new to this. You have to calculate the risk versus reward for certain shots and decide if the high chance of crashing is worth it.
I would recommend you stay far away from trees, powerlines, houses, etc, etc, etc. Get up high over everything for your first couple weeks of flying, where you don't risk hitting anything. Get used to the controls first and then bring it down low and work on operating in tighter flying spaces.
Good advice. When I crashed it, I was tracking a subject (a biker at the dirt jumps). In order to get the shot I had to get pretty close to the trees. Unfortunately I got a little too close. By the time I realized how close I was, I applied the brakes. It almost stopped short of the trees, but it barely clipped them. But I got the shot, and it was a good one.
In general, I tend to film people more than landscapes with my drone, so that usually means flying at a lower altitude. A wider angle lens would really help me frame my subject in small spaces. I guess shooting with GoPros for so long has ruined me in regards to the space required to shoot something.
I'm learning that even though I I]can[/I] fly the mavic in really tight spaces, framing my subject typically requires a lot more room than I initially thought. If I were doing landscapes or larger-than-life shots of a truck driving down a dirt road, then I have plenty of room. At skateparks, mtb trails, hiking spots, etc. I'm learning where it's realistic to film and where it isn't. The more I use this, the more I learn about its limitations (and mine) and how best to work with them. That being said, this is an incredible tool and it's been a ton of fun to get some new perspectives and shots with it. Once a Mavic 2 comes out (or whatever it'll be) with side, back, and upwards obstacle avoidance, I'll be all over it. I obviously get too focused on the shot that I forget my situational awareness. I'm starting to be more situationally aware the more I use it.
I was playing with active track last night. It worked pretty well on humans, but it kept losing the dog (no doubt his franting running around changing pace made it tough). I also played around with cinema mode. I like cinema mode, but it requires a LOT more distance to stop moving. I'm afraid cinema mode will get me in trouble one day, as it won't brake as fast as I want it to. Lots to learn, but it's surprisingly simple to use out of the box.
I now have 3 batteries, and the FS Labs 3-battery charger is great. It'll charge all 3 of my batteries at once.
